Page 52 of Fairy Godmothers Aren't Cheap

“You know how many wishes I’ve made, and been granted, and billed for due to your driving?” I teased.

“Have not.” Tamara said, her hands committing a death grip on the leather steering wheel. “Don’t even say that.”

“Sorry.”

Reaching up, I hit the button to close the roof. It was a gorgeous and sunny late May day, but notthatsunny. The air still had a nip to it, flowing over the mountains only an hour away from the city.

The cloth roof closed beautifully. Not at all stuck, likely a victim of Tamara panicking and hitting every button at her disposal.

“What’s else is wrong?” I asked, figuring her level of stress had to do with more than just the Estelle stuff.

She chewed her bottom lip, heading down our street. “Stuff.”

“What kind of stuff?” Kade? Was he back in her life and getting her heart and brain all confused again?

Then again, it could be more Estelle stuff. She hadn’t liked the James-break-a-date wish, and she hadn’t liked hearing about the broken window, either. “Is it karma?”

“What if your actions are actually making things worse? What if that broken window got James tied into your karmic mess—like, in a bad way?”

My stomach dropped, my mind speeding though worst-case scenarios. “Do you think that could happen?”

“There’s a lot that wasn’t explained to us.”

“Take a left,” I said, sending her under the tracks and toward Estelle’s office. “I was actually on my way to see Estelle and check on my repayments. You want to come in with me?”

Honestly, though, I wasn’t sure she could handle witches, ogres, and fairies right now. She might pop a valve. But I also really appreciated that she was so worried about me. She was the best kind of friend that an in-debt gal could ask for.

She gripped the steering wheel harder, a look of ticked off determination filling her gaze as she stopped in front of the invisible Your Fairy Godmother offices. “No, but I’ll wait for you in the car.”

* * *

“Let’s call in Igor.”Estelle seemed happy to see me, and we both had opened cans of cold Canada Dry ginger ale in front of us. Tamara, staying true to her promise, had opted to wait in the car. I was a bit curious if time would be the same for her outside the offices as it was for me inside. I’d tried to convince her to sync our watches, but she made a compelling argument that the magical world would have a workaround for any time discrepancies between us as I entered the office’s portal.

Plus, she didn’t wear a watch.

“Who’s he? Is he the ogre?” I asked.

“Igor’s from accounting.” She’d pushed a button on the wall, but nothing noticeable had happened.

“Does he really…” I paused, to take a bracing breath “eat people?”

Estelle sagged, eyes rolled heavenward. “No.” She waved a hand, cheeks pink. “Sorry if you heard me say that. I was—it…it was inaccurate. He doesn’t eat humans or fairies, and I’m sorry if I made you think he does.”

“You sure?” I felt hesitant relief, not quite ready to believe.

“I’ve been assured he’s vegan. But I do recommend that you be very polite and don’t look at his toes.”

“Why?”

She gave a delicate shudder. “They’re disgusting.”

“Why doesn’t he wear shoes?” Moments later, my jaw slackened as the door to Paxi’s old office swung open and a short, green-skinned, hunch-backed…monster entered.

He dropped a pink folder on Estelle’s desk, peered at me with his beady black eyes, licked his lips, and headed for the door again.

“Thank you so much, Igor. I appreciate your dedication and speed.” Estelle smiled hugely, fidgeting and looking nervous.

Naturally, I couldn’t help but glance down at his feet as he moved past me. Hairy, large knuckled, oddly bent toes. Honestly, not as gross as his drooling mouth with the rows of crooked teeth, and killer bad breath that smelled like an over-filled dumpster after a week-long heatwave.

---